Breastfeeding is beneficial for infants and their mothers. It protects against diarrhoea, respiratory tract and other infant infections,atopic dermatitis, asthma, obesity, diabetes and cancer.1,2 Although exclusive breastfeeding achieves optimal infant growth and development, the World Health Organization recognises that providing some breast milk to the infant is better than none.3 For mothers, breastfeeding has a contraceptive effect, and reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes, breast cancer and ovarian cancer.1

Cosmetic breast augmentation is the most common plastic surgical procedure, and its use is rising dramatically. In Australia, this surgery increased by 150% between 2001 and 2011.4 In the United States, the estimated increase for this period was 45%, although this followed a 550% increase from 1992 to 2000.5 In the United Kingdom, rates increased by 200% from 2005 to 2013.6 In this article, cosmetic breast augmentation (or breast implants) refers to procedures that change the size, shape and texture of healthy breasts. This is distinct from reconstructive breast augmentation, such as following mastectomy.